ANT2511 INTRODUCTION TO PHYSICAL ANTHROPOLOGY CHAPTER 12 THE GENUS HOMO AND STONE TOOLS 1st appearance of Genus homo 2 5 mya during periods of cyclic glaciation Characteristics of Genus homo Smaller teeth More efficient bipedalism Tool use Less projecting face larger more rounded brain case 1 Homo habilis 1 9 1 6 mya Ways similar to Homo o 1 bigger brain o 2 smaller teeth with thinner enamel parabolic dental arcade rounded skull reduced jaw muscles Wood Collard put H habilis with australopithecines because they say other Homo are fully terrestrial larger dimorphism EARLY TOOL USE Oldowan Industry 2 5 mya H habilis A garhi carried tools o Cores flakes sharp cutting edger Mode 1 technique o Hammerstones Beginnings of archaeology quarrying sites home bases found Taphonomy how sites are created preservation fossilization etc Teeth smooth grooves flakes serrated grooves Lower Paleolithic Industry Oldowan and Acheulean tradition ANT2511 INTRODUCTION TO PHYSICAL ANTHROPOLOGY Flakes cleavers hand axe bifaced standardized Movius line bamboo etc Hand axes used to butcher large animals stripping tree bark digging etc in East Asia H erectus used bamboo Movius Line o Only mode 1 tools no mode 2 Reasons for African Exodus search for resources generalized diet allowed adaptation to new environment no competition in new environments population expansion etc Possible fire use 1 6 1 5 mya 2 Homo erectus 1 6 mya Shorter arms longer legs like us narrow hips shoulders like us Brain size 700 1200 cc much larger brains than australopiths Heavily muscled Major features increased brain size angular vault cranial superstructures H erectus and H ergaster very similar but erectus thicker skull bigger brow ridge sagittal keel more pronounced occipital torus Ancestral traits narrow behind eyes receding forehead no chin Derived traits shared with us Less prognathic face smaller jaws teeth larger body Derived traits NOT shared with us occipital torus large brow ridges No nerves to control breathing during speech no language 3 H floresiensis Hobbit 800 kya 380 cc brain size 7 individuals found measured at about 3 ft tall Possibly dwarfed H erectus Island environment linked to dwarfism Used Mode 1 tools flakes etc made tools and hunted large game KNOW THE DIFFERENCES BETWEEN THE TYPES OF TOOL INDUSTRY FOR EXAMS Oldowan vs Achulean etc Test Questions Are Oldowan tools 2 5 mya very proficient at butchering animals Yes ANT2511 INTRODUCTION TO PHYSICAL ANTHROPOLOGY Why is Homo erectus shown as terrestrial Because it had same body proportions as modern people who live in tropical savannahs